Rabbit farming is transitioning from conventional cages to colony housing systems — research reveals key welfare improvements and remaining challenges in this shift.
Colony housing represents a genuine welfare improvement for farmed rabbits when properly managed. The freedom to run, jump, and engage in social behavior generates positive welfare states documented through behavioral and physiological measures. However, colony systems introduce new challenges: aggression management requires careful group composition, disease protocols must be intensified, and elevated platforms must be included to reduce competition. The transition from conventional to colony farming requires significant capital investment, which slows industry uptake without regulatory mandates. Consumer demand for higher welfare rabbit products and clear welfare labeling accelerates this transition more effectively than voluntary industry action alone.